Food bank usage and the roll-out of Universal Credit in the United Kingdom
The roll-out of Universal Credit has generated considerable concern that issues with benefit payments are forcing people to rely on food aid to help them make ends meet. According to the Trussell Trust, foodbanks in areas where the full service of Universal Credit has been implemented (covering single people, couples, and families) have seen a far higher rise in referrals for emergency food than the national average. However, it is unclear whether the results drawn from this narrow set of areas is indicative of other parts of country. We explore in more detail then whether the roll-out of Universal Credit is associated with more food bank usage using data at the postcode district level. We seek to unpack whether foodbank referrals are potentially driven by the problems associated with roll-out (i.e., early administrative difficulties) or whether they are more systemic (i.e., rooted in the long waiting period for the first payment).
Date:
7 June 2018, 9:30 (Thursday, 7th week, Trinity 2018)
Venue:
32-42 Wellington Square (Barnett House), 32-42 Wellington Square OX1 2ER
Venue Details:
Violet Butler Room
Speaker:
Dr Aaron Reeves (University of Oxford)
Organising department:
Department of Social Policy and Intervention
Organiser:
Ruth Moore (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
events@spi.ox.ac.uk
Part of:
Social Policy and Intervention - Departmental Colloquium
Booking required?:
Not required
Audience:
Members of the University only
Editor:
Ruth Moore
